Runoff election day Tuesday, polling places open

by Sarah Fay Campbell

Tuesday is election day for the runoff, and polling places throughout Coweta County will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for voting.

Turnout is expected to be very light for the runoff, as there are no local races on the ballot. There are two state races on the Republican ballot and one on the Democratic ballot.

On the Republican ballot, David Perdue and Jack Kingston are vying for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Saxby Chambliss. The winner will face Democrat Michelle Nunn in November.

Also on the Republican ballot, Richard Woods and Mike Buck are running for state school superintendent.

The one race on the Democratic ballot is for state school superintendent. Candidates are Alisha Thomas Morgan and Valarie D. Wilson.

If you voted in the Republican primary, you can’t vote in the Democratic runoff, and vice versa. If you didn’t vote in the primary, or chose a non partisan ballot, you can vote in either runoff – but not both.

Voters should be aware of two recent precinct changes, which were also in effect for the May primary.

The Grantville polling place has moved from the Glanton Municipal Complex to the Grantville branch library. And the Ebenezer Church Road polling place has moved from the fire station to the Central Library, located behind the fire station and sheriff’s precinct.

In Grantville, there will be three municipal races on the November ballot. The seats held by Mayor Jim Sells and Councilmen Barham Lundy and Johnny Cooks are all up for election.

Municipal qualifying is set for Aug. 25, 26, and 27. The Grantville races will be the only municipal ones on the ballot, barring any resignations and special elections. All Coweta’s other municipalities have elections in odd-numbered years.

The Coweta Elections Office is ready for Tuesday’s elections. “Everything’s tested, and ready to deliver” to the polling places, said Elections Superintendent Jane Scoggins.

Scoggins has two new machines that are used to upload the memory cards from the electronic voting machines. There were some problems with the uploading machines during the primary, which meant local vote totals were late arriving.

Scoggins has thoroughly tested the new machines. “Hopefully it will go really smoothly election night,” she said.

For more information about the election, contact Scoggins at 678-854-0015. For information about absentee voting, contact the Coweta Voter Registration office at 770-254-2615.